Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!bbn!inmet!ishmael!inmet!justin
From: justin@inmet
Newsgroups: news.misc
Subject: Re: In Moderation: A Moderator's Re
Message-ID: <197600001@inmet>
Date: 14 Jun 89 16:32:00 GMT
References: <3300@epimass.EPI.COM>
Lines: 51
Nf-ID: #R:epimass.EPI.COM:-330000:inmet:197600001:000:2257
Nf-From: inmet!justin    Jun 14 12:32:00 1989


Re: In Moderation Network

Jeez.

I confess, Usenet's hostility to change has to be one of its most remarkable
features.

FACT: The signal/noise ratio on the net has been steadily declining for ...
well, at least the couple of years that I've been around. Probably Longer.

FACT: A substantial number of people are continually dropping off of the
Net, due to the ever-growing noise level. Including many of the founders of
the Net.

OPINION: It is a Bad Thing that many people are no longer using the Net, due
to the difficulty of reading it.

Anterior is offering a simple service, a pared-down version of the Net with
a lot of that noise cut out. Frankly, the cost listed is pretty reasonable,
considering the *huge* amount of work involved in doing that -- I expect that
they're going to need a substantial payroll.

However, to listen to you people, one would think that Geoff had proposed
limiting the Usenet to just what he wants to see on it, and preventing
anyone from getting anything else. 

Sit down and think a minute. Given the fact that anyone can get a full
feed at will, for a reasonable cost, the only people who are going to be
reading In Moderation are the people who aren't willing to put up with
the sometimes-incredible hassle of dealing with Usenet. No one who
*likes* the Net the way it currently is is going to use it. Therefore,
In Moderation is going to draw new, possibly interesting people to the
Net, who have previously been unable or unwilling to deal with it before.

So what the bloody hell is *WRONG* with that?

I'm not saying that In Moderation is perfect; I've sent an extensive list
of questions off to Anterior, and I'll reserve judgement until I get a
reply. But I really get teed off by all of you who *cut* the connectivity
of the Net, in the name of everything being free. Sorry, there is only
so much volunteer labor to go around. If the Net is to grow and prosper,
it's going to take labor, and that labor costs. If some people are
willing to pay to get an improved version of the Net, who are you to
deny them that? The only thing you're hurting by trying to screw up
the In Moderation net is the Net community as a whole...

					-- Justin du Coeur

"Usenet: the network that eats its young"
		-- a wise sage